The present invention relates to a suggested game device for forming game fields of multiple hierarchies in a three-dimensional virtual space and for playing a game in a plurality of game fields where the game proceeds simultaneously.
With the progress of computer technology, video game devices utilizing computer graphics technology have come to be widely used. This type of video game devices are widely accepted by users. A large number of various kinds of game devices have been devised and various game software products have been supplied.
For example, there is a battle game in which a base and tanks, etc. placed on the ground fight against helicopters, fighter planes and attack planes in the sky. In such a game, objects (such as airplanes) in the sky and objects (such as tanks) on the ground are displayed simultaneously on one plane and each object is controlled by one game program.
However, it is difficult to express both the objects on the ground and the objects in the sky on one plane in an easily visible manner. Moreover, since moving speeds and moving properties of the objects on the ground are usually very different from those of the objects in the sky, it is difficult to properly control the movements of all objects at a common time axis. If programs of different time axes are made to proceed separately for the sky and the ground, it is difficult to link a system for the sky with a system for the ground and to express the objects in the sky and on the ground simultaneously at the same point of time. Furthermore, it is desirable to realistically express phenomena such as rain.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of making a game, which is proceeded in a plurality of hierarchically formed game fields, easily visible.
It is another object of this invention to provide an easily visible cursor which indicates corresponding sites in upper and lower game fields in a three-dimensional manner.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a game device capable of forming pictures which will give a visual effect of, for example, rain drops falling from the sky.
In order to achieve the above-described objects, a game device of this invention is a game device for proceeding a game by placing objects related to the game in a three-dimensional virtual space and by controlling the objects. The game device comprises: first game proceeding means (S102 and S104) for proceeding the game by controlling,the objects in a first game field in the three-dimensional virtual space; second game proceeding means (S106 and S108) for proceeding the game by controlling the objects in a second game field in the three-dimensional virtual space; and picture transformation display means (S5116) for forming a screen picture by transforming the coordinates of each object in the first and second game fields existing within view of a viewpoint located in the three-dimensional virtual space.
This construction makes it possible to express the game proceeded in a plurality of game fields simultaneously. It is possible to control each field by using separate algorithms and to independently set a time axis, a display scale or the like for indicating the progress of a game.
According to this invention, a game device for proceeding a game by placing objects related to the game in a three-dimensional virtual space and by controlling the objects, comprises: first game proceeding means (S102 and S104) for proceeding the game by controlling the objects in a first game field in the three-dimensional virtual space; second game proceeding means (S106 and S108) for proceeding the game by controlling the objects in a second game field in the three-dimensional virtual space; mutual processing means (S112 and S114) for processing the game between the first and second game fields and for placing and controlling the objects in relation to the processing; and perspective transformation display means (S116) for forming a screen picture by transforming the coordinates of each object within view of a viewpoint located in the three-dimensional virtual space.
This construction makes it possible to proceed a game independently in the respective fields and to proceed a game with, for example, mutual intervention between the fields and linking of events.
The first game proceeding means and the second game proceeding means are capable of determining respective proceeding speeds(or scroll speeds) of the first game field and the second game field separately, thereby producing a sense of far and near.
Moreover, when the viewpoint is moved between the first game field and the second game field (S202 and S232), the perspective transformation display means reduces one game field and displays the reduced game field in a picture of the other game field (S204, S206, S208, S234, S236 and S238), thereby producing an ascending or descending visual effect.
A game device of this invention is a game device for proceeding a game by placing game objects related to the game in a three-dimensional virtual space and by controlling the objects, and the game device comprises: first game proceeding means for proceeding the game by controlling the game objects in a first game field in the three-dimensional virtual space, second game proceeding means for proceeding the game by controlling the game objects in a second game field in the three-dimensional virtual space; cursor object forming means (S302 through S320) for forming a cursor object indicating a certain area (S304) of one of the first and second game fields as well as an area (S312) of the other game field corresponding to the certain area; and perspective transformation display means (S320) for forming a screen picture by transforming the coordinates of the objects including the cursor object within view of a viewpoint located in the three-dimensional virtual space.
This construction makes it possible to display the corresponding areas in the game fields by using a three-dimensional cursor and to obtain a cursor which is easy to perceive visually.
The cursor object forming means forms the cursor object as a polyhedron with an area of one game field as its top and with an area of the other game field as its bottom, thereby the corresponding areas are directly indicated and are easily perceivable.
Since the cursor object forming means is capable of displaying information on the side face of the cursor object, it is possible to apprehend various information during a game.
The cursor object forming means sets display scales of the top and bottom of the cursor object, respectively corresponding to the display scales of the first and second game fields. Accordingly, it is possible to express in an easily visible manner the corresponding areas in the game fields where games of different display scales are proceeded.
A game device of this invention is a game device for proceeding a game in a game field formed in a three-dimensional virtual space, and the game device comprises: cursor moving means for moving a cursor in the game field in accordance with operation; viewpoint moving means for moving a viewpoint located in the three-dimensional virtual space in accordance with the cursor; coordinate transforming means for transforming a view range of the viewpoint to a screen coordinate system; and viewpoint position adjusting means (S416) for adjusting a position of the viewpoint so that a non-mapping area will not appear on the screen when the view range extends beyond a mapping area, in which a picture of the game field is drawn, to the non-mapping area (S412).
The viewpoint position adjusting means adjusts the position of the viewpoint on condition that the cursor has moved beyond the view range.
A game device of this invention is a game device for proceeding a game in a game field formed in a three-dimensional virtual space, and the game device comprises: viewpoint moving means for moving a viewpoint in conformity with a cursor moving in the game field in accordance with operation; coordinate transforming means (S406) for transforming a position of the cursor from a three-dimensional coordinate system to a display coordinate system; and viewpoint position adjusting means (S412, S416 and S414) for finding the position of the viewpoint with the cursor being located at a central position of a display range of a screen (S410) and for adjusting the position of the viewpoint when the position of the viewpoint is beyond a margin area so that the viewpoint will be located within the margin area.
The margin area is the area where the viewpoint can be moved without causing the non-mapping area of the game field to appear.
A game device of this invention comprises: a memory (V-RAM) for storing, as picture data, a plurality of patterns of different sizes in a plurality of areas divided in accordance with a line number in one frame; a picture data processing device (VDP) for reading the picture data from the memory, processing the data at a designated reduction/expansion factor, and supplying the processed data to a picture display device; reduction/expansion factor setting means (S508) for finding a reduction/expansion factor, which corresponds to the position on a screen as specified by the frame and line of a video signal to be drawn, on the basis of a first function and for setting the reduction/expansion factor at the picture data processing device; pattern size outputting means (S510) for determining, on the basis of a second function, a size pattern corresponding to the position on the screen; and reading position setting means (S514 through S520) for obtaining an address of the pattern to be read from the memory on the basis of the position on the screen and a moving speed on the screen as decided for the determined pattern, and for setting the address at the picture data processing device.
This construction makes it possible to produce a visual effect of, for example, causing rain drops to seem falling from the sky down to the ground.
Moreover, this invention relates to an information storage medium with a program stored thereon, the program for activating a computer system as the game device described above.